Spirited Away

In the Spirits world, each category of alcohol is growing and diversifying every day. New products are released by manufacturers quicker than most retailers can get them on the shelves. This section gives a quick definition about each type of liquor, a fact or two, and a few examples of the brands you will find. This isn't a complete list, but it includes the bulk of what you will find nearly everywhere. Bottoms Up!!

Aperitifs - These are flavorful liquors or wines that are meant to stimulate your appetite and awaken sleeping taste buds before a meal. Some of the most used Aperitifs are vermouth, Champagne and dry styles of Sherry. Aquavit - An overly simple definition of Aquavit, or Akvavit, is spiced vodka. The process and grains are the same as Vodka but the difference is the addition of the main flavors of either caraway or dill with other spices playing a smaller role in the flavor.

Bitters - Bitters are another liquor that started out as a medicine and evolved into a beverage or additive to cocktails. They are often flavored with herbs, spices, roots, and fruit peels and used as an Aperitif or a Digestif. Rarely are they consumed by themselves, so it's helpful to know a couple of cocktail recipes to enjoy them with. Campari, Aperol and Angostura

Blended Whiskey - Whiskey from all over the world has producers who make blends. Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the U.S. all have variations on their respective single batch spirits. The usual method for making blends is to distill a few different batches of whiskey that are not intended for Single Malt or Single Barrel status. The distiller combines the whiskies in a way that produces the best mix that the distiller has to offer. Another advantage is the whiskies can be more consistent year after year. Canadian Mist and Seagram's 7 Crown

Bourbon - Closely associated with Kentucky, Bourbon is an all American spirit. It has been distilled since the 1700, but was first called Bourbon in the 1850 and associated with Kentucky in the 1870's. Although it can legally be called Bourbon no matter where in the U.S. it is made, it is still mostly reserved for producers in Kentucky. According to the legal definition, Bourbon has to be made with at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, and must be bottled at 80 proof or more. There is no aging specifications, but the rule is if it is aged for a least three months, it can be called Bourbon. To earn the name Straight Bourbon, it must be aged at least two years. Jim Beam and Basil Hayden

Brandy - Brandy is the oldest distilled spirit. It is the product of distilled grapes or fruit. Some of the lesser quality Brandies are not aged, but have caramel color added to them to resemble aging. The better quality Brandies have aged designations. From youngest to oldest they are A.C. - aged two years in wood casks, V.S. - Very Special or 3 Star, aged at least three years, V.S.O.P. - Very Superior Old Pale or 5 Star, aged at least five years, X.O. - Extra Old, aged at least six years, Vintage which is kept in the cask until the distiller wants to bottle it, then the label shows the year that the Brandy was distilled, and finally Hors d'age which is too old to give an age designation but are generally over ten years old. Presidente and St. Remy

Cognac - In 1880, David Saradjishvili founded his brandy distillery in Cognac, France and a long tradition of top quality brandies was begun. Made mainly with the Ugni Blanc grape, they are required to be distilled twice in pot stills and must be aged for at least two years in French oak barrels from the province of Limousin or the Forest of Tronçais. Hennessey and CourvoisierDigestif - These are liquors or liqueurs that are meant to use as an after dinner drink to help with digestion. Ouzo and Sambuca (both anise liqueurs) are often used for this purpose, but Brandy, Sherry, Vermouth, Port and other liqueurs can also be used.

Distillation - This is a process often credited to ancient Arabs making the first brandy from grapes. In the beginning, a spirit like vodka, brandy or whiskey is processed the same as beer and wine. The fruit, vegetables, or grain is boiled to release the sugars, then yeast is added to the sweet solution and the batch is fermented. At this point, beer and wine would practically be finished, but not liquor. After fermentation, the liquid is heated in a closed container like a still. The vapor, which is pure alcohol, rises from the heated liquid and is cooled in a condenser and collected. What is collected is raw spirits. It is then that other flavors can be added if any and it is watered down to the correct proof.Fusions - A fairly recent addition to the spirits world are Fusion beverages like Hpnotiq and Kinky. They are sweet, lower alcohol beverages made with things like vodka, champagne, schnapps, and fruit juices. Gin - A distilled spirit that revolves around the common ingredient of juniper berries is a Gin or Genever. Every distiller's recipe is completely different, often including many herbs and spices, but they all have juniper berries as the main attraction. What was used as a medicine for decades, Gin evolved into a cocktail spirit. There are a few versions of gin that have a sweetness added to them, but most on the market have a dry finish. Tanqueray and Hendrick'sIrish Whisky - Most Irish whiskies are distilled three times and, under Irish law, must be aged for at least three years. The grains used for distillation are dried in regular kilns as opposed to peat fires like Scotch. All of this makes them smooth whiskies with a clean finish. Bushmill's and Kilbeggen

Liqueurs - See SchnappsMoonshine - For those of you who haven't been watching all the shows about Moonshine, here is a little Shine primer. These spirits are a high alcohol liquor that has the reputation for being an illegal, possibly blinding spirit made in the back woods of our fair country. Marketing geniuses have since developed "store bought" moonshine that runs anywhere from 80 proof to 120 proof and is bottled in quaint fruit jars just like grandpa used to do. The Moonshine you find in stores is made mostly of distilled corn that is unaged. This gives Moonshine a grassy corn flavor. Most producers are also making flavored Shine like apple pie, blackberry and peach. Georgia Moon and Old Smoky Rum - This is a distilled spirit that is made from sugar cane byproducts like cane juice and molasses. Rum is thought to be first developed in India and China, but quickly spread to the rest of the world through trade. While it fell out of fashion with most of the world, it became the dominant liquor in and around the Caribbean Sea where sugarcane grows very well. There are also an endless supply of rums with flavors added. You will find everything from coconut to chocolate cake rum. Ron Zacapa and Captain MorganRye Whiskey - If the label has the word Rye on it, the mix of grains used must include no less than 51% rye grain while the other 49% is usually corn and barley. In the U.S., they are aged at no more than 125 proof for at least two years in new charred oak barrels. The main difference that set Rye apart from other whiskies is the spiciness and a crisp, clean aftertaste. Wild Turkey's Russel's Reserve and Bulleit

Schnapps / Liqueurs - Schnapps originally started out as simply a strong alcohol beverage. They have since become a neutral grain alcohol with fruit flavors or other flavors added. They are often sweet or semi sweet and come in a huge range of flavors like cherry, grape, mint, chocolate, and melon. They are great for mixing into cocktail recipes, sipping as an aperitif, or keeping warm while ice fishing. Hiram Walker and DekuyperScotch Whiskey - The main difference between Scotch and other whiskies is the process of drying the malt. After the grains have been soaked to start germination, the growing must be halted by roasting the kernels. In most whisky, the grain is dried in oast houses or ovens. The grains for Scotch are dried over fires fueled by peat moss. This gives the grain a smoke and peat flavor in addition to the toasty flavors. Another difference in Scotch production is where the distillery is located. The whisky ages in wooden barrels for a number of years and those barrels swell and shrink with the fluctuation of the weather. The outside air influences the liquid inside the barrel since a tiny amount of it is sucked into the barrel with every expansion of the barrel. The result is Highland Scotch tastes far different than an Islay Scotch. Scotches from coastal regions have a prominent iodine flavor to them that is obtained from the salty sea air mixing with the whiskey. MacAllan and Glenlivet

Sour Mash - Sour Mash is the use of materials from the old batch of whiskey to start the new batch. When the grains, water and yeast have been used to make a batch of whiskey, it is still usable. Since the yeast is still active, the distiller gathers some of the mixture to activate the fermentation of the next batch. This keeps the strain of yeast from becoming tainted and ensure the continuity of the flavors of the finished spirit. When the leftovers are completely scrapped and new fresh yeast and malt are used for the new batch, it is referred to as a Sweet Mash. Jack Daniel'sTequila - This elixir from Mexico is made from the fermented juice of the Blue Agave plant which, oddly enough, is related to lilies. It is one of those things like Champagne in that it can only be called Tequila if it comes from the state of Jalisco. Any spirit made with blue agave outside of Jalisco is called Mezcal. Tequila has five basic tiers of production that are regulated by Mexican laws and standards. Blanco or Silver Tequila is distilled and bottled right away. Joven or Gold Tequila is simply Blanco Tequila that has caramel color and flavor added to it. Reposado Tequila is distilled and aged in wooden casks for two months to a year. Añejo is Tequila that is aged for one to three years in barrels. And finally there is extra Añejo which is aged at least three years. Great Tequila will be labeled 100% Agave. They are better quality and taste much better too. Anything that doesn't have the 100% on the label is probably only 51% Tequila (the legal amount needed to call it Tequila) and 49% sugar alcohol. Also, only certain Mezcals have a worm in them. Tequila never does. Milagro and Don JulioTriple Sec / Curaçao (Triple Sek / KUR-a-sow)- This is a liqueur that originated on the island of Curaçao which is just of the coast of Venezuela. Spanish explorers planted orange trees there, but the fruit was too bitter to eat. The peels, however, were very aromatic and flavorful. When they were steeped in alcohol, they produced rich orange flavored aperitifs. After the liqueur was being produced for sale, people started adding it to other liquors to make great cocktails like the Margarita and Long Island Iced Tea. There are a wide range of products with varying quality. Some of the less expensive versions are Hiram Walker and Stirrings, but there are also high end orange liqueurs like Grand Marnier and Cointreau. There are also Blue and Orange versions ofCuraçao which have food coloring in them to make festive colored cocktails.Vodka - Vodka is a distilled spirit usually made from fermented grains (wheat or rye) or potatoes although some newer producers have begun using fruits as part of the sugars that are fermented before distillation. Most Vodkas have a clean crisp taste with subtle flavors coming from the ingredients the distiller used. There are also a multitude of Flavored Vodkas. Some are Infused Vodkas which means fruit or herbs soak in the Vodka for an amount of time to extract the flavors. Others simply have natural or artificial flavors added to them. Some people complain about headaches after they drink even a little bit of Vodka. This is due to impurities in the final product. If you have that problem, look for something that has been distilled a few extra times and filtered a few extra times. This weeds out the things that get stuck in your brain causing the headaches. Another reason for headaches or body aches is that some people may be gluten intolerant. If that is the case, simply switching from a grain Vodka to a potato Vodka will help relieve it. If that doesn't work, stop drinking Vodka! (The last couple of sentences are based on information that I've gathered. If you have headaches all the time, don't listen to me. Go see a doctor!) In the vodka section at the store, you will also find every flavor of vodka you can imagine from orange and pomegranate to cake and maple bacon flavor. Chopin and Ketel One